AppsScriptPulse

Creates a Google Workspace Add-on file picker card with CardService that opens a Google Picker in an overlay window – Google Apps Script – Yagisanatode

So you have this awesome idea for a Google Workspace Add-on (GWAO), but you need to be able to select Google Drive files and folders as a part of your process. … Ideally, you would want a built-in File Picker class that would select the files and folders from the directories you need. Whelp… unfortunately, we don’t have that right now for Google Apps Script’s Card Service.

One approach might be to build out a file picker card selecting each parent’s files and folders and navigate through it like, say, a linked list. … Instead, I decided to incorporate Googles File Picker API as a popup window from the sidebar, because, it’s kinda what it is designed for.

The Google Apps Script GDEs are publishing some very thorough tutorials just now. The latest comes from Scott Donald who has published a tutorial exploring how the Google Drive Picker can be used with Workspace Add-ons that use the Card Service. The post is particularly good at highlighting the steps required as a Google Cloud Console project.

Source: Creates a Google Workspace Add-on file picker card with CardService that opens a Google Picker in an overlay window – Google Apps Script – Yagisanatode

Google Developers Blog: Evolving Google Workspace Add-ons with Alternate Runtimes

Today we are pleased to announce that building Google Workspace Add-ons has evolved once again, this time to offer developers an alternative to using Apps Script for building add-ons with the general availability of Alternate Runtimes for Google Workspace Add-ons.

While Alternate Runtimes enables the same functionality that Apps Script does for building add-ons, the flexibility and the freedom to choose your dev environment plus the opportunity to decouple from Apps Script will likely yield greater developer productivity and performance gains for future projects. This commonly requested feature by Google Workspace solution developers has finally become a reality.

As part of this post there is an example from Riël Notermans, owner of Zzapps (and Google Developer Expert), highlighting some key takeaways on Alternate Runtimes development and deployment.

Source: Evolving Google Workspace Add-ons with Alternate Runtimes

🎂 Happy anniversary Google add-ons! 🎂 Long live MERGO the new mail merge add-on from @romain_vialard

Ain’t no party like a mail merge party and Romain Vialard knows how to celebrate!

Content generation with Google Workspace Add-ons

Google Workspace Add-ons

Image credit: Google

Back when G Suite, err… Google Workspace Add-ons launched, support for Docs, Sheets, and Slides was conspicuously absent. Sure, they’ve long supported their own flavor of add-ons, but the idea of building an add-on two different ways didn’t sit well with me. Thankfully I didn’t have to wait too long for the editors to catch up. … Now that add-ons work in the editors I had the chance to build a few small demos to try them out.

Recently it was announced that Google Workspace Add-ons now support the extension of the Editors (Docs, Sheets and Slides). Steven Bazyl (Google, DevRel) has shared an overview to help you get started with Workspace Add-ons. The examples Steven shares are particularly useful if you want to start developing add-ons that work across editors as well as in Gmail. This post is particularly useful for tips on handling different host applications. Follow the link to the source for all the code and more details…

Source: Content generation with Google Workspace Add-ons

Google Workspace Add-ons now generally available in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Google Workplace Add-ons are now available for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Google Workspace Add-ons are already available for Calendar, Gmail, and Google Drive.

There have been Editor Add-ons for a number of years, with Google Workspace Add-ons developers can tap into a new integrated user experience. One of the main differences with Workspace Add-ons is the use of the Card service rather than custom HTML (HTMLService). The benefit of switching to a Card service is cross platform support including integration into Google’s Workspace mobile apps.

Follow the link to the source post for links to all the relevant developer documentation.

Source: Google Workspace Add-ons now generally available in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Webtrends: Add-on for Spreadsheet – Analytics Traps

The Webtrends add-on offers the functionality of the Webtrends API combined with the power of data manipulation in Google spreadsheets.

You can use the tool by installing it from the G Suite Marketplace : https://gsuite.google.com/marketplace/app/webtrends/227205745742?hl=en

With this add-on you can:

  • Get data from multiple reports at the same time;
  • Create custom calculations from the data obtained in the report;
  • Create dashboards with embedded data visualizations;
  • Schedule the automatic execution of reports so that the data is always updated;
  • Easily control who can see this data and views by leveraging Google Spreadsheet’s sharing and privacy features.

The add-on was created with Google Apps Script, in my blog dedicated to the subject there are detailed guidelines for using this add-on.

Source: Webtrends: Add-on for Spreadsheet – Analytics Traps

GA360 Unsampled Spreadsheet Add-on – Analytics Traps

The non-sampled reports in Google Analytics allow to obtain data based on 100% of the sessions even in those conditions where the platform applies the samplingUnsampled reports are currently only available to Google Analytics 360 users.

The request for non-sampled reports in Google Analytics does not provide an immediate response, in fact it can take from several minutes to more than an hour to obtain a downloadable report.

With the Add-on for Spreadsheet ‘GA360 Unsampled‘ it is possible to query the Unsampled Reports API to directly obtain the data without worrying about verifying the actual generation of the results, as they are conveniently retrieved automatically and saved in sheets dedicated to the Spreadsheet used.

Source: GA360 Unsampled Spreadsheet Add-on – Analytics Traps

Develop My First Gmail Add-on via Google Apps Script: My Software Engineer Internship at dialoggBox

I’m a teacher-turned-developer actively searching my first software engineer job during the pandemic after graduating from Hackbright Academy. As a bootcamp new grad, I am lucky to get an internship opportunity to develop a gmail add-on product at dialoggBox to gain my first industry experience and learn how to work with stakeholders.

My article will be composed of three parts:

  • What service do dialoggBox and this gmail add-on provide?
  • What was my experience using Google Apps Script to build an add-on product?
  • How did I develop each section of the gmail add-on?

The actual details of the add-on developed by the author, Nancy Dai, are promised in a follow-up post but this post serves as a useful insight into the main things to look out for when developing Gmail Add-ons.

Bonus: Following the link to the dialoggBox website I spotted they were using icons from freepik.com which also took me their sister site flaticon.com, which in turn took me to their ‘Icons for Slides and Docs’ add-on.

Source: Develop My First Gmail Add-on via Google Apps Script: My Software Engineer Internship at dialoggBox

Workbook Statistics – a Google Sheets Add-on built using Google Apps Script (lessons in Add-on publication)

Get stats for your current active sheet & the entire spreadsheet in one place using workbook statistics – a g suite editor add-on built using google apps script.

A handy Google Sheets add-on from Sourabh Choraria that can give you an Excel like summary of the Google Sheet you are working on that can display information like the number of: filled cells, formulas, charts and more. This post is also worth reading if you are interested in tips for the Add-on publication processes, highlighting some of the pitfalls you can avoid. The code for the Add-on is also open source making it possible to reuse in your own Apps Script projects.

Source: workbook statistics – a google sheets add-on built using apps script

Google Developers Blog: Building G Suite Add-ons with your favorite tech stack

Let’s talk about the basics of G Suite Add-ons. G Suite Add-ons simplify how users get things done in G Suite by bringing in functionality from other applications where you need them. They provide a persistent sidebar for quick access, and they are context-aware — meaning they can react to what you’re doing in context. … Up until recently, G Suite Add-ons leaned on Apps Script to build Add-ons, but choice is always a good thing, and in some cases you may want to use another scripting language.. So let’s talk about how to build Add-ons using additional runtimes.

Google recently announced the ability to develop G Suite Add-ons using other frameworks other than Google Apps Script. This post on the Google Developers Blog introduces how you can develop G Suite Add-ons with something other than Google Apps Script.

Source: Google Developers Blog: Building G Suite Add-ons with your favorite tech stack